Golf ball tee



- May 17, 1949. E. J. NELSON 2,470,574

GOLF BALL TEE l -iled Aug. 25, 1946 Wmumummm INVENTOR.

JTTORNEI Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF BALL TEE Earl J. Nelson, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application August 23, 1946, Serial No. 692,653

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to tees used by golf players to tee-up the golf ball.

It is well known in the game of golf that in driving it is customary to tee-up the golf ball slightly above the ground. Various methods of teeing-up the ball are used. One popular method is the use of a small peg of wood which has a cupped head at the upper end of a sharp pointed shaft which may be pressed into the ground.

The tee provided by this invention is quite different in that it is made of rubber or other similar material and it is not necessary to press it into the ground as it is so designed that it can merely be dropped or set on the surface of the terrain and by reason of its novel construction it will adjust itself to irregular surfaces and will tend to cling to the ground while at the same time the tee head or cup for the ball will assume an upright or level position.

In general, a tee made in accordance with the invention comprises a foundation mounting or base member and a tee-head member. The foundation mounting is made in the form of a hollow base in which may be inserted a mobile material of considerable weight. The tee-head member is of rigid material and has a cupped head to support a golf ball and a shank integral therewith from which depends a sack extending into the hollow base member. This shank sack is also partially filled with a mobile material of considerable weight. The shank of the tee-head member is mounted on the base member by means of a flexible diaphragm secured both to the teehead shank and the base member and the arrangement is such that the tee-head shank will tend to assume a vertical position so that the cupped head will set level irrespective of irregularities of the surface on which the tee is placed for use by the golf player.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tee having the characteristics mentioned and others which are described hereinafter.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention will be pointed out in the annexed claims, the invention itself as to its objects and advantages and the manner in which it may be carried out may be better understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation and partly in section of a tee made according to the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the device shown comprises a hollow base member i0 and a tee-head member H. The base member is made of rubber or other similar material and is in the shape of a truncated cone. It comprises side wall 12 which is sufficiently rigid to support the weight of a golf ball l3 without substantial deformation of the side wall H. The side wall is provided at its bottom with an annular ridge 28 and an inwardly projecting shoulder 29 for further strength. The bottom of the base member ID is closed by a. rubber diaphragm l4 secured at its periphery I5 to the side Wall ll of the base member. This diaphragm is of relatively thin flexible rubber and is sufficiently flexible that when the tee is placed on the ground it will flex and adjust itself to irregularities of the ground surface. To weight the base member a quantity of small steel balls [6 are inserted in the hollow base It. Thus when the tee is placed on the ground the balls, being mobile, will shift about if the rubber diaphragm l4 becomes flexed by reason of irregularities in the ground surface, and at the same time the tee is weighted so that it will stay in place on the ground, unless the tee itself is struck by the club when the golf player makes the swing to strike the golf ball mounted on the tee. Should the player strike the tee itself, it will do no serious damage as the tee, although weighted, is not permanently secured to the ground. Moreover, the tee will, in any event, travel but a short distance-not more than a few feetif it is struck.

The tee-head member ll comprises a shank l! the upper end of which is flared outwardly at its top end to form a tee-head l8. The tee-head has formed therein a shallow cup 19 in the shape of a segment of the spherical surface of a golf ball so that the ball when placed on the tee-head will be properly accommodated to tee-up the ball. The shank l1 and its tee-head l 8, which is an integral part thereof, is made of hard rubber or other suitable hard material.

Secured to the lower end of the shank l1 and depending therefrom is a hollow shank sack 20 made of thin flexible rubber. Inserted in the sack 20 is a quantity of steel balls 2| the weight of which tends to maintain the shank I! in vertical position and its integral tee-head I8 in level position.

The tee-head member H is secured to the base member ID by means of an annular thin flexible rubber diaphragm 22 which is secured to the holtures 2! through it, such vents being indicated by,

the dotted lines.

When the tee is placed on the ground forzusev and the ball 13 mounted on it, th ball will be properly teed-up" as the steel balls lfi will shift about and settle to conform lwiththe-fiexingof the diaphragm I4 and even if the base member should not set perfectly level, the diaphragm22 is sufficiently flexible tort-permit the balls 2| in sack 2U"t0"fi11d'. their: posltionuof: 4 rest .andthe shank and sack will hang as does a plumb bob. Hence the -shank-d1 (will .hangwerticallywiththe tee-head; then settingizimwlevel position;- and the ball I3 :placed :in the: cup: I91 ofwthe headvis in:

proper teed-upgposltion foridrivingoff-a In the .foregoing; descriptionnther; weighting material mentioned :is steel iballsza. Other mobile material; which ihas'zconsiderable weight and will shift about onchange ;of' position .of the tee will also be suitable, such asshot on even-liquid :material such as; mercuryrmaytin someeinstancesbe serviceabler.

While aspecific embodiment .of;; the inventionhas been: describedcin tdetailil ,it iwillibeiunderstood that modificationsemayybezmadeewithout departingfr-om-l-thespirit :andescopeeof 1thel-invention comprehendedsby-thevannexedrclaims;

Whatis claimedds 1. Aatee forxthe gamerofiigolr which comprises a hollow basemember having;avbottom wall, a

side Wall; and aahollowuneokeat its topg:end,. a

tee-head member; having adieadrto' accommodate a golf balleand-ta -shankedepending therefrom extending into saidhollowl-basmmember; means securing; saicleshankatol saidebasel member at theneck ofsaid-base memberrsaidmeans suspending saidshank inlthe centernofesaidi hollow neck and being, flexible i to provide-universal movement .of

said: shank, andmeans including a.:weightingmaterial acting in the-;.manner on at. plumbt bob.

secured to the lower: endlofsaid shank-to maintain it .inv vertical, :position..-when said-tee .riS placed.

with itsibottomivwall om the ground;

2. A tee for the game of golfiiwhich comprises a hollow" baseimemben having ah bottom. wall-,- aside lwall andahollowtneckportion atitsitopend,

a .tee-headmember having;- zcuppediheaddtoiace commodate-- a golf ball lamina-shank. depending from said head extending into said hollow base member, a flexible diaphragm secured to said shank and to the base member at said neck portion, and means including a weighted member suspended from said shank and acting in the manner of a plumb bob to maintain said shank in vertical position when said tee is placed with its bottom wall on the ground.

3. A tee for the game .of .golftiwhich comprises a hollow base member of-"truncated cone shape having a bottom wall of'flexible material, a side wall of rigid material and a hollow neck at its top end, a tee-head member having a head made of hard material to accommodate a golf ball and a shank integral with said head depending therefromandextending into said hollow base member, a flexible member secured to said shank and to said base member at its neck, a sack made of flexible-material extending into said hollow base member and depending from said shank, a quantity'of' weighty mobilematerialiimsaidihollow. base member and a quantityrofoweightyamobilez-material in saidsack.

4; A tee for the game of'tgolfiiwhich comprises a. hollow base member. of:trunoatedsconeshape having bottomnwall .ofi i'thin-zzflexiblei rubber," a-

side wall of vrigid:rubber;*said side :wall. terminate ing at its upper-end ima 'hollow neckportion, a

tee-head member having .aucuppedrhead of hard rubber to accommodate i ai'rgolf "ball. and a: shank integral with said headndependingigtherefrom: and extending through saidi'hollow neck. into said hollow base 'member, a; thinw flexible annular rubber diaphragm securing saidashankl to" saidbase member at its neck portion, a zsaokl of thin"v flexible rubber securedto: and-rdepending from:

said shank and extending-intosaid hollow :base member, a .quantity vof weighty-small balls within said base member in contactowithcsaidn flexible bottom: Wall andoanquantity ofl weighty, small balls within said tsacktox act -as:aplumbebobon: said shank tomaintain. said head level when saidtee is placeduwith .said.i'lexiblebottomwallin.

contact with the ground.-

EARLJ. NELSON.

REFERENCESOITED The following references are of record' in' the file. ofthis patent:

UN ITED'STATES PA'JTENEIS Number Name Date 1,636,655. Young July 19,? 19.27 1,856,259' Lyons MayAB, 1932- 2,219,974 Bellow Oct.. 29,. 1940v FOREIGN: PATENTS;

Number Country Date 519,193 Great Britain Mar. 19; 1940 

